Scaffold structure



Nov. 12, 1968 J. A. ISBELL SCAFFOLD STRUCTURE Filed March 6, 1967 FIG.

.hllllllllllllll lll' I NVE NTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent Office 3,41%,365 Patented Nov. 12, 1968 3,410,365 SCAFFOLD STRUCTURE Joe A. Isbell, Memphis, Tenn., assigner to Union Metal Products, Incorporated, Memphis, Tenn., a corporation of Tennessee Filed Mar. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 620,754 8 Claims. (Cl. 182-179) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Scaffolding including load carrying members, with individual sleeves slidable vertically relative to each other on individual stationary uprights held spaced apart, there being sidewalk brackets each having an upright leg slidable vertically through one of said sleeves and positively supported by the sleeves automatically when inserted upwardly therethrough. A tie between and having lost motion connections at its ends to said sleeves limits the relative vertical movement of the sleeves, the load carrying members and the sidewalk brackets as the inclination of the tie shortens the horizontal distance between its ends and takes up the lost motion in its end connections between the tie and the sleeves.

The invention relates to scaffolding used in erecting buildings or similar construction work where it is desired to elevate workmens platforms and sidewalks to different levels as the work proceeds without dismantling the scaffolding or unloading the platform or requiring the departure of the workmen as the height of the platform is changed.

Among the objects of the invention are to facilitate the application of platform supporting brackets to the scaffolding and to promote safety in the elevation of the scaffolding by preventing undue elevation of one end of the platform or sidewalk relative to another end thereof. The structure to which this application is directed comprises additions to and improvements over that described in United States Patent 3,083,787 issued April 2, 1963, which patent may be referred to for structure and operation here mentioned as background for the additional features detailed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a perspective of a portion of scaffolding erected for masons laying up brick in the wall of a building.

FIG. 2 is a detail elevation of a portion of the structure shown in the adjacent portion of FIG. 1 but drawn to a larger scale and sectioned in part on line 2-2 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a detail horizontal section on line 3 3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a detail view of two scaffold uprights as shown in FIG. l but with two platform supports at different levels and showing the platform in a tilted position as assumed `during an elevating operation.

As shown in the earlier patent, the scaffold comprises at least two pair of main uprights 11, 12 and 13, 14 respectively. The uprights of each pairv are connected by transverse end braces 16 and the uprights of the spaced pairs are connected by transverse side braces 17.

A beam 21 extends between uprights 11, 12 and includes rigid vertically disposed sleeves 22 at its ends slidable upon the uprights. The beam is adapted to support one end of a platform 23 and a corresponding beam 24 extends between uprights 13, 14 and supports the other end of the platform.

A horizontal base member 25 has its ends sleeved and latched to uprights 11, 12 and carries a winch 27 including a drum 28 to which is attached a cable 29 running over sheaves at the end of base 25 and secured at its ends to the platform beam sleeves 22.

By operating winch 27 the associated beam 21 and the adjacent end of platform 23 may be raised or lowered. At the end of such movement beam 21 is secured to the uprights, then the winch is removed from uprights 11, 12 and is applied to uprights 13, 14 and cross beam 2d at the other end of the platform may be adjusted.

Upright tubular members 31 are welded to opposite sides of each sleeve 22. A separate bracket unit comprising a vertical leg 33, a horizontal arm 34 and a diagonal leg 3S is readily applied to and removed from a selected member 31 by inserting the upwardly extending portion of the vertical leg into the lower end of member 31 and raising the bracket until the upper end of the leg is level with the upper end of member 31. A pair of elongated hooks 36 are received in the upper end of leg 33 and project above it. A horizontal pin 37 extends through the lower portions of hooks 36 and is seated. in opposite walls of leg 33. Coil spring 38 thrusts the hooks apart. The hooks may be moved toward each other to pass through member 31 and, when projected above the top of member 31, will automatically move apart and oppose the top of member 31 to support the bracket. The bracket horizontal arm 34 carries one end of a supplementary platform or sidewalk 40 at a lower level than the main platform 23. Arm 34 will engage the lower end of member 31 and limit the upward movement of platform 40. Supplementary platform 40 is not always necessary or, if used, it may be desired to have it at different sides or ends of the scaffolding. Its bracket is readily detached from the scaffolding by slightly raising the bracket, pressing hooks 36 toward each other and dropping the bracket through member 31 (see broken line position of hooks 36 in FIG. 2).

To avoid undue tilting of main platform 23 when it is to be elevated or lowered, there is provided a riding brace or tie 45 having slots 46 near its ends which are elongated lengthwise of the tie and receive pins 47 on members 31 thereby forming lost motion connections between the tie ends and sleeves 22. When beam 21 is raised, or lowered, and the tie is disposed diagonally (FIG. 4), the outer ends of the slots engage pins 47 and since the interconnected uprights 11, 13 are rmly held spaced apart by cross brace 17, the relative movement of interconnected sleeves 22 will be limited to a predetermined distance, c g., thirteen and one-half inches for a seven foot platform, in which cross brace 17 between the interconnected uprights forms one leg of a triangle, perpendicular to the uprights, the tie forms the hypotenuse vof the triangle, and the portion of the upright between the elevated pin 47 and the horizontal line through the pin 47 at the other end of the tie forms the other leg of the triangle. After securing cross beam 21 to the uprights, the winch base 25 may be shifted to the other pair of uprights and beam 24 and the other end of the platform may be raised, or the platform may be left inclined between adjacent portions of the scaffold to accommodate working at different levels along the scaffold.

The features described above facilitate the erection and use of the scaffold of the earlier patent and increase the measure of safety for workmen on the scaffold. The details may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of structure coming within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a scaffold structure, spaced uprights, transverse bracing between said upright, a platform support extending between said uprights and having vertical sleeves at its ends slidable vertically on said uprights, there being a vertical tube on the side of one of said sleeves, a sidewalk bracket including a hollow upright leg slidable upwardly through said tube and provided with a latching element the upper portion of which is projectable upwardly through said tube and beyond the upper end thereof and laterally thereof to engage said end, said portion being movable toward the axis of said leg to permit the upward passage of the leg and latching element through said tube.

2. In a scaffold structure as described in claim 1 means on said locking element biasing its upper end away from the leg axis when said end is projected above the tube to automatically engage the top of the tube and thereby support the bracket on the tube.

3. In a scaffold structure as described in claim 1, an upright tube on the side of at least one of said sleeves, a horizontal bracket having a Vertical leg slidable vertically in said tube, a latch on the upper end of said leg and movable therewith through said tube to project above and overlie the top thereof to support said leg and bracket from said tube.

4. In a scaffold structure, a main upright, a short vertically disposed sleeve attached to one side thereof and having a through Opening, a lateral bracket having a vertically disposed hollow leg slidable upwardly through said tube and provided with a holding structure within and attached to said leg and movable toward the axis thereof, to accommodate passage of the leg through the tube, and having a portion projectable laterally over the upper end of the tube to securely hold the bracket in elevated position.

5. In a scaffold structure as described in claim 4 in which the holding Istructure comprises a pair of inverted L-shaped latches with vertically disposed arms within the hollow leg and with horizontally disposed hooks projecting laterally above the tube, and a spring biasing the upper ends of the latches away from each other and above the tube.

6. In a scaffold structure, spaced pairs of uprights, a transverse beam extending horizontally between the uprights of each of said pairs and having end portions slidable vertically on the same, an elongated platform for workmen extending between and supported near its ends on said beams, and a safety device comprising a brace extending lengthwise of the platform between the two pairs of uprights, there being a lost motion connection between at least one end of said brace and the corresponding transverse beam and limiting the relative vertical movement of said platform-carrying beams and longitudinal inclination of the platform.

7. A scaffold structure as described in claim 6 in which each beam has upright sleeves at its ends and the lost motion connection comprises a hook projecting from a sleeve on one beam and the brace has an elongated hookreceiving slot slidably receiving said hook.

8. A scaffold structure as described in claim 6 in which the beam end portions are provided with upright tubular members, there being sidewalk brackets each including a vertical leg slidable upwardly through an individual one of said tubular members and provided with a releasable latch at its upper end supporting the bracket on the corresponding tubular member, the two brackets on one beam being movable vertically simultaneously with that beam and each having a horizontal walk-supporting arm projecting from its vertical leg.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner. 

